Improvement in reverberatory furnaces for roasting ores



AUNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

ERNST HEILIGEDORFER, OF BELMONT, NEVADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERBERATORY FURNACES FOR ROASTING ORES.

Specification forming part oi' Letters Patent No. 147,056, dated February' 3,1874; application tiled November 22, 1872*.v

To all whom lit may concern:

Beitknown thatI, ERNsT H niLie-nxnon man, ot' Belmont, in the county of Nye and State of Nevada, have invented a new and Improved Furnace-Grate, of which the following is a speciiication:

1n the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section through a common reverberatory furnace on the line ai, Fig. 2, and Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section through the iireplace on the line y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters ot' reference indie-.ite correspondin g parts.

The Object 0f my invention is to so improve the grates of reverberatory and other furnaces that a clear tire, free from smoke, and of the highest oxidizing power, is obtained by currents otl heated air, which are introduced between and sidewise to the gases ot' combustion, so that the caking of the roasted ore is prevented and the grate applied effectively to roast silver ore, galena, and zinc-blende. My

invention consists in the introduction of parti- .tions of cast-iron pla-tes between and at both sides of the grate, parallel to the grate-bars and the tire-place, extending as hi gh as the fuel is accumulated on them.

In the drawing, A represents a common reverberatory, Gerstenhofer, or Stidtet'eld furnace 5 B, the re-plaee, and C the grate-bars. Vertical partitions, made of cast-iron plates D, are arranged parallel to the axis of the tireplace-by preference, one central, the other at the sides of the same, extending through its full length between the grate-bars C. These plates D are made high enough to extend slightly above the fuel placed on the grate. The distance of the plates is regulated by the currents of air which are desired to be introduced into the gases of combustion, and form inlets for fresh hot air throughout the whole length of the grate. It', for instance, three partitionsv are arranged as indicated in Fig. l, tive diiferent currents of gases are producedtwo from the lire and three of fresh hot air- "hich mingle between the firebridge and arch of thev furnace, and throw a clear fire of superior oxidizing quality on the orc.

The number of partitions may be increased, if pine, with pitch or bituminous coal, is burned, in proportion to the smoke-producing qualities of the fuel, and also to the width of the grate, the main object being always to introduce a sufficient amount ol' oxygen between the gases of combustion, and to mix them thoroughly on their passage over the tire-bridge. It is, however, desirable sometimes to change the qualitics of the fire, so as to have an oxidizing' or a reducing tire, for which purpose I arrange my hotair inlets in such a ina-nner that some or all otl them may be partially or entirely closed.

I am aware that gas-generators have been in use for a long time, by which a current ot' fresh air is introduced to the gases of combustion between the lire-bridge and arch from below.

To increase, however, still more the oxidizing power ot' such a gas-tire, I introduce, be-

sides the lower current, also one or more mid- 

